Glass fiber packages are commonly manufactured by supplying molten glass to a bushing, drawing glass fibers from the bushing, and applying a size, which may be aqueous or nonaqueous, to the fibers via an applicator roll. The sized fibers may be gathered into a strand at a gathering shoe and wound on a collet to produce a glass fiber package.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,610 discloses an applicator for applying a nonaqueous sizing composition to glass fibers. The applicator includes a driven roll which receives sizing from a chamber and applies the sizing to the surface of glass fibers which are drawn across it. One problem common to applicators having driven rolls is "fiber wrap." This problem occurs when the fibers adhere to the surface of the size-coated driven roll such that the fibers become wrapped about the roll. Such a problem is costly as it results in a shutdown of the fiber-forming process. A further problem experienced by nonaqueous-size applicators is that such applicators often do not apply a uniform coating of the nonaqueous sizing composition to the glass fibers drawn across the applicator roll.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus for applying a nonaqueous sizing composition to glass fibers.